Published 5:30 am, Thursday, July 28, 2005

Chamber executive director Dian Gilmore resigned June 24, less than a year after she was hired.

Gilmore would not comment on her reasons for resigning the position or her future plans.

Steve Hrncir, chamber chairman, said the board will use an executive search firm in its search for a new executive director. He said the goal is to have someone in place by mid-September.

"We will look at appointing in an interim director from within the chamber to carry on with daily duties and to keep in touch with members," Hrncir said.

The search for a second executive director in less than a year has spurred some chamber members to raise concerns about the chamber's role in northwest Harris County. Many say they are not targeting Gilmore, but they do see her resignation as a symptom of a larger ailment within the chamber's leadership.

"Dian was a good director," said Tom Flaherty, chamber member. "But the fact that she left is causing the chamber to take a good look at itself, and that could have a positive effect."

Jane Price, co-chairwoman of the chamber's Ambassadors Committee, said "We are not saying Dian did not do a good job — we just don't think the board's priorities are where they should be.

"There are several occasions when board members do not show up to board meetings, and, in fact those of us who are very involved in the chamber do not even know some of the board members because they are not involved in the community."

"The board needs to involve small business owners in their decisions," said Price, who owns and operates three Curves fitness center locations in northwest Harris County. "We need to do something about who is making these decisions."

He said the chamber board is doing little or nothing to help the membership in the area of economic development. And he said there have been several recent community-driven efforts that have flourished with little or no chamber support, including the development of the Museum of Fine Arts, Cypress Creek, negotiations with V&W Partners for the new park on land formerly owned by Hewlett-Packard, and various efforts against panhandling, bandit signs and street vendors.

"How is our board in a position to hire a leader when they don't know what they are trying to accomplish?" Lipton said.

Hrncir said the chamber board appreciates all of the feedback and questions that members are asking.

"We do feel we have a great chamber with excellent volunteers and board members," Hrncir said. "We realize we have to continuously set goals to achieve our mission and to meet the community's needs. We need to make sure we regularly revisit what we are doing."

Tommy Ripley, a chamber board member, said he hosted a chamber-wide round-table discussion last week to invite ideas about what chamber members would like to see in a new executive director. He said the conversation eventually turned to members' concerns with the board of directors.

Ripley said there are steps the board has taken in the past year to address some of those concerns, but they may not have been communicated to the general membership.

For example, he said, the original 33-member board is now set at 19 members because of a "three strikes" policy. If a board member misses three meetings, he or she is asked to resign if they believe they will not be able to make future meetings.

"We are trying to find board members who are dedicated, who have the time to put into the job," Ripley said. "We are also trying to look within to find people who are already dedicated to the chamber, and who may want to serve in a board position in the future."

Ripley said members may perceive apathy on the chamber board, but that perception goes both ways. He said the board has distributed surveys in the past, seeking feedback and input from the chamber membership and received little response.

"I believe that having the round-table discussion was a big step in the right direction," Ripley said.

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Lipton agreed there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

"Some of us have met with the chamber leadership, and we believe there is a movement toward accomplishing the chamber's mission," Lipton said. "Hiring a strong, creative executive director who is a great communicator could also provide a catalyst for good things to come."